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Habitat Information for Fishermen - Artificial Reef Proposals for
Connecticut Blackfish, Black Sea Bass and Scup Fisheries
Can We Build Artificial Reefs for Fisherman and Protect Shorelines at the Same Time?

Climate Patterns and Near Shore Fish Habitat Carrying Capacity
Putting Climate Patterns to work to increase Recreational Fisheries – Several case studies for habitat creation, enhancement and mitigation looking at recreational fisheries economic impacts to the State of Connecticut
Capstone Project Investigates Reef Ball™ video documentation for near shore fish habitats and structure assemblages

A series of four habitat papers regarding habitat creation, enhancement and mitigation are available from The Sound School.

The general habitat creation theme responds to a 1974 proposal to build shallow artificial reefs, recycling concrete sidewalk slabs from Hartford, Connecticut. Although not approved in 1974-75 estimates are mode in regards to habitat carrying capacity and lost fisheries abundance.

Lobster reef experiments are also reviewed from the 1960s, which found small lobsters six times more abundant upon clay pipe reefs than natural habitats. A later 1986 proposal includes low profile rubble reefs from using broken “Jersey” concrete barriers, and modification of coastal energy/erosion impacts while also enhancing habitat for reef fisheries, tautog and black sea bass (also not approved). An April 2011 proposal includes recycling 900 rail sections from the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge (also known as the Q Bridge) for a series of shallow warm water species such as scup and black sea bass and deeper water habitat refugia for lobsters and tautog. This proposal was made to the Habitat Restoration Committee of the Long Island Sound Study and state regulatory agencies in June of 2011.

Case studies include South Carolina Black Sea Bass charter boat fisheries (2011) and the Florida Recreational Artificial Reef program which began in 1973 under state sponsorship (2009), a 1960s lobster reef habitat study in Boothbay Maine. (2010)

While other New England states have piloted artificial reef experiments (Rhode Island and Maine) and Massachusetts is working on a comprehensive artificial reef plan currently, Connecticut has yet to include habitat creation as a response to climate changes. During warm periods warm water species do better and mature faster. Climate change alters the biological make up generally not richness and reef fish species are known to be structure habitat dependent species. Deeper reefs would tend to hold more cooler water species, shallow reefs warmer water species. It is thought that since the first artificial proposal 1974-75 hundreds of thousands of pounds of scup, tautog black sea bass and cunner (a smaller but delicious relative of tautog) have been lost to natural habitat carrying capacity – these are preliminary estimates, but could be in the millions of pounds if southern reef fish capacities can be used here.. Recreational fishing is important to Connecticut’s overall economy, fishermen recognize the need and importance of bottom structure to fisheries success. An ambitious properly designed artificial reef program for Long Island Sound will yield tangible economic benefits to Connecticut and New York. The April 2011 report suggests recycling parts of the New Haven Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge for artificial reefs and includes reference to the Tim Coleman, March 3, 2011 article in The Fisherman on Artificial Reefs titled, “Where’s The Reef? A Woeful Record Still No Reef Program.”

Paper #1 titled Restoring Finfish and Shellfish Populations, may require additional habitat studies, (September 2009- 23 pages) discusses the Hammonasset Beach Erosion problem in a detailed habitat history of increasing sea level rise after the ice age and a retreating shoreline. The concept of habitat mitigation from offshore reefs to both slow erosion and create additional sport fishing opportunities. Part II and III encourages the public policy broadening discussions of artificial reef programs and climate change habitat creation for warm water species Black Sea Bass and Scup and building habitat refugia for cold water species – especially lobster and tautog.

Paper #2 titled Possible Guidelines for Habitat Enhancement – The Blackfish, Sea Bass and Scup Artificial Reef Plan. (March 24, 2010 – 14 pages) reviews a proposal to build concrete sidewalk slab low profile reefs from recycled sidewalk slabs from a 1970s Hartford, CT sidewalk replacement project (Not approved) and a 1986-87 Coastal Cove and Embayment Board proposal for subtidal breakwaters off Hammonasset Beach (also not approved). The Florida Fish Enhancement efforts from the 1970s are included as well as a short habitat history for CT tautog population (Blackfish) are also reviewed. A large section of the report includes economic benefits to the state from recreational fisheries (sports fishing) and suggests that Connecticut create an Artificial Reef Development Plan.

Paper #3 April 2011 – 20 pages titled Updates to the Artificial Reef Report – Can we recycle the “Q” Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge for Reefs reviews a limited Connecticut Reef experience, the Florida Artificial Reef Program from the mid 1920s to date with reference to lobsters and a report from the South Carolina reef program regarding Black Sea Bass. Black Sea Bass thrive in warm waters but are highly structure (habitat) limited. This paper reviews Connecticut developing an artificial reef plan and introduces the Maine Lobster Habitat mooring system and the nonprofit Reef Ball™ foundation. A section contains a reference to lobster cobblestone reefs in Madison CT.

Report #4 is actually a Capstone Research Proposal for monitoring a Reef Ball™ experiment. It is titled Can Public Trust be Extended to Created Habitats for Fish? The Reef Ball™ proposal seeks to combine a research grant opportunity from The Reef Ball™ Foundation a 501-C nonprofit international NGO working to rehabilitate the world’s damaged ocean reef ecosystems. They presently work in 60 countries and deploy over a half million reef balls – a structure that houses fish (like bird houses). It is an educational organization that targets educational institutions with climate change sustainable “Living Machine” fisheries concepts for habitat enhancement (www.reefball.org). They have a grant program targeting secondary educational programs with an environmental/ecological focus.

Papers 1 to 3 were made available to the Long Island Sound Study. Habitat Restoration Committee, September 2009, March 2010, April 2011. The Capstone Proposal October 2011 should be available soon on the Sound School website: www.soundschool.com Watch for the Capstone Habitat Research Portal.

All four papers are available upon request from Sue Weber, Sound School Adult Education and Outreach Program Coordinator – susan.weber@new-haven.k12.ct.us

Any high school students interested in habitat related Capstone projects visit The Sound School website www.sound.school.com – A Capstone project directory should be available June 15, 2012. Species include Terrapins, Alewife, Winter Flounder, Bay Scallops, Blue Crabs, Conch and Lobsters.

The Sound School is a Regional Agriculture Science and Technology Center that enrolls high school students from 23 cooperating towns.

Comments, suggestions reviews always welcome please contact Tim Visel, The Sound School - tim.visel@new-haven.k12.ct.us

Crest Daddy · Joined: 20 Jan 2011 Posts: 994

Throw some reefs a couple hundred yards out from some of my beaches please !!!
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Trust me. Use waxworms !